The use of an application screening assessment as a predictor of teaching retention at a midwestern, K-12, public school district

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the retention of new hires at a Midwestern, K-12, public school district using the scores of an application screening assessment as a predictor. New teacher hires' overall performance results on a screening assessment were compared to the retention of those hires after 1 year of employment. In addition to the overall scores, the impact of subscale results in the areas of cognitive ability, teaching skills, and attitudinal disposition were also compared to the retention of new hires. The study results indicate that differences exist in the application screening assessment scores of new hires and their retention after 1 year of employment. The study concludes with recommendations designed to aid school leaders in objective hiring practices that yield retention of teachers with a strong fit to the organization.